GOAL SETTING 101

Building your Business from Vision and Possibility

Though it is incredible important to set goals and to have a business and marketing strategy in place to consciously move your business towards success, it all falls to the way side if you don’t have a compelling vision that guides you along the way. If you don’t come from a place of love for what you do, your success will be limited and certainly not as fulfilling as it could be.

So, what is it that you REALLY want – In your business and in your life?

Sometimes that is not so easy to figure out. We are so programed to listen to our mind rather than our heart. So often our decision-making comes from a place of fear versus creativity and inspiration. The avoidance of pain and discomfort, the fear of failure, judgment or success are so often the driving force on how we move forward in our business and life.

Can you relate?

So I encourage your, before your set any goals and make any plans, check in with your heart’s desires – what’s your BIG, INSPRING VISION that you want to move towards?

If you can envision something you can make it possible. However, in order to do that it takes commitment, time and a plan. Without actions towards your vision it stays in the realm of dream and fantasy.

That’s where goal setting comes in. If your vision is your guiding principle, your goals are the stepping-stones along the way to fulfilling it.

Why set goals?

Aligned with your vision they help you set priorities – you know what direction you are moving towards. Therefore it becomes easier to manage your time because you know when to say no to things that take you off course. Goals also help you stay focused, motivated and in moving.

So how do you work with goals effectively?

You want to make them inspiring. As I said earlier, they should be founded in a compelling vision and reflect your values and passions. Be clear on WHY you are setting them.

What will it feel like when you accomplish that goal? Connect to that feeling state daily.

Write your goals down. Post them in places where you can see them daily (screensaver, fridge, bathroom mirror …)

Share them with others – this is an effective way to stay accountable and will increase your likelihood to follow through.

Choose 2-3 goals in no more than a couple of areas in your life– it’s enough. Focusing on too many goals will lead to the opposite of clarity and focus.

Make your goals challenging but realistic. Unlike your vision, which represents the big picture of what you want to create, your goals should be realistic in order to make them meaningful.

o Specific – What will your income be? What will you do to spend time with your family? What will you do to stay healthy? What’s important to you? The more specific the better.

o Measureable – That’s where the rubber hits the road – “I want to make more money”: How much will you make? If you look at your goals, how do you know you are moving into the right direction? Where are you now & where do you want to go? Can you track the progress you are making? What’s the gap that needs to be filled?

Knowing this will guide you in prioritizing your time and tasks.

o Achievable: What are the action steps you need to take to accomplish the goal? Do you know what to do? Do you have a business or marketing plan? Do you need support? What do you need to let go of to accomplish the goal?

o Realistic – Can you realistically do this? Imagine one year from now and you are celebrating your victories. What does that feel like? What if you have not fulfilled your goals – how does that feel – are you okay with that?

o Time-Framed – Make your goals are specific: by when will you have accomplished them? Lay out a quarterly, monthly weekly, daily time line for accomplishing your goals. This will become your roadmap to keep you focused and on track.

COMMIT TO ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS

So you set your goals, but how COMMITTED are you to achieving them?

This is an important question to ask yourself! Chances are that stuff will come up that discourage your from staying committed to your plan. That’s when it is important to remind yourself of WHY you are doing what you are doing. Being able to RE-COMMIT when things don’t go as you hoped for is as, if not more important, then committing to your goals the first time. 90% of you success to achieve your goals will happen between the space of your two ears! Do you have the tenacity & inspiration to follow through on your goals or will you be taken out of the game by your doubts, excuses and fears?

GET SUPPORT

Knowing how easy it is to get distracted and discourage to follow the path of inspiration and success, I belief we all need support.

I am feeling incredibly bles

sed to have a strong support system, because, belief me, I know how easy it is to loose sight, to get distracted and discourage. That’s I when I reach out to my own coach, trusted advisors and fellow conscious entrepreneurs who are walking right beside me, building their businesses, making their vision a reality. I know I can lean on their support, wisdom and honest opinion to get me back on track.

Don’t try to go at it alone! As evolving entrepreneurs we are charting new territories all the time! In order to be successful, we need to step out of our comfort zone regularly, learn & build on our skills and stay committed. That is why I have invested in my own coach and that is why love serving my clients do the inner and outer work required to be the conscious entrepreneurs they want to be.

ENJOY THE JOURNEY

Lastly, have fun with your goals. Don’t take yourself too serious. Allow space for the evolution of your goals and your desires. How often do we get all serious and down on ourselves for not achieving what we set out to do or make it a struggle to accomplish them? Check in with yourself regularly to see if your goals still reflect your authentic desires. As much as I encourage you to make a plan and stick with it – be flexible as well.

And don’t forget to celebrate your wins. Take the time to acknowledge yourself, what you have accomplished and learned along the way. Be grateful for where you are right now!

Contributing Author: Founder of Conscious Business Evolution, Inga Michaelsen, CPCC, mentors heart-centred entrepreneurs in making more money while making a difference. Take her Passion to Profit Assessment and learn how infuse your business with more Passion, Purpose and Profit. Also, check out her website and say hello to Inga on her Facebook Page.